1/31/25 Hometown Broadcasting News Friday
31 January 2025 News
CAMPBELLSPORT APARTMENT BUILDING FIRE
Fire damaged a four-family apartment building in Campbellsport Thursday afternoon. A 911 call reported the fire at 144 New Cassel Street at 2:40 pm. Campbellsport Police Chief Andrea Dowland says two Campbellsport fire fighters got there first and started fire suppression efforts on the outside of the building. They stopped the fire from spreading. One tenant suffered minor injuries to the forehead and right hand from falling burning debris. The victim was treated at the scene by Campbellsport EMS and released. The unit where the fire started had significant damage displacing the tenants and their pets. The Red Cross is assisting the family with living arrangements. An adjacent apartment had minor damage but is habitable. The cause of the fire is still being determined, but it is not considered suspicious. The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident.
GROTHMAN OFFICE ARSON SUSPECT BOUND OVER FOR TRIAL
A Terrorist Threat charge has been dismissed against the 19-year-old Menasha man suspected of setting fire to the side of a strip mall housing office space for Congressman Glenn Grothman. However, other charges stemming from the January 19th fire remain in place against Caiden Sage Stachowicz who was in Fond du Lac County Court Thursday for a preliminary hearing. He was bound over for trial on those charges of Arson, Attempted Burglary, and Criminal Damage to Property. He will be arraigned on February 17th. He remains in the Fond du Lac County Jail on a $500,000 cash bond. According to the criminal complaint Caiden told police he doesn’t like Grothman and later said he didn’t want to hurt anyone but set the fire because Congressman Grothman voted “Yes” to have Tik Tok shutdown. Caiden told investigators he tried to break into the office to set fire to the inside, but was unsuccessful. Unable to break in he set fire to side of the building. He said he knew that it was a government building and wanted to cause disruption and make a point by starting the building on fire.
JAGLER BILL WOULD RESET SCHOOL TESTING STANDARDS
State Senator John Jagler is co-sponsoring legislation to restore high academic standards for K-12 testing protocols. The changes to the student performance standards have been widely panned across the state, including by former State Superintendent, Governor Tony Evers. Senator Jagler says it is difficult for school district officials to gauge how students have progressed from year-to-year with the new standards. The state lawmaker from Watertown says State Schools Superintendent Jill Underly and some others created the new standards behind closed doors without public input. Jagler is especially concerned about measuring the progress of students that lost instruction time during the peak of the pandemic and as a result fell behind. The bill would reset school district and school report card standards.
DRILL BABY DRILL
Congressman Glenn Grothman supports President Trump’s energy initiative to, “drill, baby, drill,” for more oil and gas. He says one way to spur the economy is to produce more energy. He says it will lower the price of gasoline, fertilizer, and plastics. He feels getting a handle on inflation is the number one thing that has to be done with the economy. The federal lawmaker from Glenbeulah says despite what environmentalists may claim energy produced by the United States is much cleaner than what is produced in China and India. Wall Street is expecting U.S. oil and gas companies to keep a lid on spending in 2025. The industry in recent years has pushed to drive down costs and increase production by using more efficient technology rather than drilling new wells.
OAKS PROGRAM EXPANDED IN OSHKOSH AREA SCHOOL DISTRICT
The Oshkosh Area School District is expanding its emergency preparedness resources with the installation of Overdose Aid Kits or OAKs in all middle and high schools, in partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative Overdose Response Network and Start Healing Now. The district will host a community event next Friday featuring state and school leaders, national prevention organizations, along with community partners and individuals impacted by the opioid crisis. The OAKs contain Narcan, CPR breathing barriers, drug administration instructions, fentanyl testing strips, and information about treatment and recovery support. The event will be at the Vel Phillips Middle School Atrium at 1 pm next Friday afternoon. Among the speakers will be U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin and State Senator Jesse James. The event is open to all community members.
ZIMMERMAN APPOINTED NEXT VP FOR ENROLLMENT AT RIPON COLLEGE
Kimberly Zimmerman has been appointed as Ripon College’s new vice president for enrollment, bringing over 15 years of experience to her position effective March 3rd. Zimmerman currently serves as assistant vice president of admissions at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois, where she has strategically prioritized regional, transfer and international recruitment, created a comprehensive enrollment plan and has led all areas of the recruitment program, including budget, search and market strategy. Her strategic implementation led to a 60 percent increase in first-year enrollment, with the past cycle bringing in the third-largest incoming class in the history of the college. She expressed confidence in Ripon College’s current trajectory. She currently lives with her husband, two daughters, dog and cat in Galesburg, and plans to relocate to Ripon. She is succeeding Interim Vice President for Enrollment Greg King who has served in that role since October 2024.
Zimmerman named VP for enrollment | Ripon College
WICHMAN RETIREMENT PARTY AT RIPON HY-VEE TODAY
Hy-Vee’s in Ripon is holding a party today to celebrate the retirement of DuWayne Wichman who has spent more than five decades in the local grocery store business. The party is from 11 am to 1 pm and it is open to the community. He started when he was 15-years-old stocking shelves. He stayed with the store as it changed from Prescott’s Super Valu to Webster’s, eventually becoming the store director. DuWayne announced his retirement last year, but stayed on as ownership transitioned from Webster’s to Hy-Vee. You can read more about DuWayne in the Ripon Commonwealth Press’s article or online.
Retiring Wichman will be celebrated Friday at Hy-Vee | News | riponpress.com
OPEN ENROLLMENT STARTS MONDAY
The state’s Department of Public Instruction tells us the online application period for the Public School Open Enrollment Program for the 2025-26 school year opens Monday. Starting February 3rd and running through April 30th, parents and guardians can apply to send their children to any public school district in Wisconsin during the next school year through the open enrollment program. Application materials and additional information on the program are available on the DPI’s website. School districts are required to notify applicants by June 6th on the status of their open enrollment application. Transportation to and from a nonresident school, in most circumstances, is the responsibility of the parent or guardian. However, some school districts may provide partial transportation. Additional information about open enrollment is available toll-free by calling 888-245-2732.
Public School Open Enrollment | Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
BGCTC INVITE YOU TO THE MASQUERADE
The gala fundraiser for the Boys & Girls Club of the Tri-County Area takes on a Masquerade Ball type of theme this March. This year’s Wearin’ & Sharin’ is at the Heidel House Hotel & Conference Center in Green Lake and is being called “The Masquerade.” Those attending the March 15th fundraiser are encouraged to don a mask and fine attire and enjoy a sumptuous three-course meal, live and silent auctions raffles and games. Kassidy Walters is the Resource Development Director for the Club. She says a few of the raffles will hold a special appeal. For example, there will chocolate and purse raffles. Proceeds will benefit the Boys & Girls Club of the Tri-County Area and its sites in Berlin, Green Lake, and Ripon. Tickets are $125 each or $1,500 for a corporate table, but those prices increase on February 12th to $150 per person and $1,750 for a corporate table. Walters says they’ve reserved a block of rooms with special rates for guests who would like to stay overnight at the Heidel House. Registration for The Masquerade is available through the Club’s website.
Wearin and Sharin The Green | The Boys and Girls Club Tri-County Area
BOUNDARIES BASH
The Fond du Lac Chapter of Fishing Has No Boundaries will host their 11th Annual Boundaries Bash on Friday and Saturday, February 7th and 8th, in the Sunset on the Water parking lot, next to Roosevelt Park in Fond du Lac. Friday the tent opens at 3 pm, and Saturday it will be open from 9 am to 11 pm. The event will include the 2025 Johnson Family Ice Race, the Boundaries Bash Social Bags Tournament, Cherry Pie will rock the bash on Friday night, and Driftwood will return to the bash on Saturday night. Food and drinks will be available for purchase during open hours. The event is organized and run by volunteers. For more information on the Fond du Lac Chapter of Fishing Has No Boundaries check out their Facebook page.
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